By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Fort Hays State senior Robbie Schmidt has been named MIAA men’s cross country athlete of the week, announced Tuesday (Sept. 7) by the league office.
Schmidt took home the individual title at the UNK Invitational on Friday (Sept. 3) after navigating the six-kilometer course in 18:05.3, nearly five seconds faster than second place. He bested a field of 42 athletes that took to the course at Meadowlark Hills Golf Course in Kearney, Neb.
The Topeka, Kan. native sat in fifth place at the two-kilometer mark, a full 13 seconds behind the leader. But the senior closed that gap to just under three seconds at the four-kilometer pole before taking the lead late in the race. He averaged 4:51.0 per mile during the race.
Schmidt and the rest of the Tigers will return to the course later this month when they travel to Denver, Colo. for the Roadrunner Invitational on September 17. The men’s eight-kilometer race at Washington Park is scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. (4:30 p.m. MT).